Issue 4 • June 2005 • EPA530-N-05-001
Tribal Composting Nourishes
land and tradition
Backyard composting
—the benefits start
and stay at home
Turning fish and
food waste into
resources
Kids worm up to
vermicomposting
Welcome to the Tribal Waste Journal
(TWJ). Each issue features a different
waste-related topic and presents relat­
ed ideas, approaches, and activities
successfully employed by tribes and
villages. The Tribal Voice, an opinions
forum, and an activity-packed Kids
Page also appear in each issue. The
TWJ is published annually.
In this issue:
The Tribal Voice
Worms Reduce Waste and
Nourish Bodies and Soils. . . . . 2
feature:
composting
Backyard Composting:
Cultivating the Many
Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Scaling Obstacles: Turning
Fish Waste into Resources. . . . 9
Cherokee Commitment to
Quality Creates Premier Food
Waste Compost . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Unique Gardens Dig Deep
Into Cultural Roots . . . . . . . . . 15
Students and Teachers Worm
Up to Vermicomposting . . . . 17
Salt River Landfill’s Green
Waste Composting Beats
the Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Composting Garbage
and Sludge—An Alaskan
Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Resources . . . . 25
contacts . . . . . 26
T h e T r i b a l
l
Voice
e
Worms Reduce Waste
and Nourish Bodies
and Soils
B
ordered by Canada to the North and Glacier
National Park to the West, the Blackfeet
Indian Reservation covers more than 1.5 mil­
lion stunning acres of plains, rolling hills, and moun­
tainous forests in northwestern Montana. Despite its
vast size, the Blackfeet were able to rally their 10,000
reservation residents to help turn a small EPA grant into
a big benefit in terms of reducing waste, giving back to the Earth, and
nurturing the community.
Harnessing the creativity and energy of
all of its community members, including
school children, elders, an herbologist,
and organizations like the Headstart
Program, helped the tribe get their vermi­
composting program off the ground. We
spoke with Gerald Wagner, director of
the Tribal Environmental Office and
Mary Ellen Flamand, solid waste coordi­
nator, about their approach to vermicomposting. The following are
excerpts from our conversations:
Kids Page . . . . . 27
TWJ: Why did you choose to pro­
mote vermicomposting versus other
types of composting?
United States Environmental
Protection Agency
Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (5306W)
www.epa.gov/tribalmsw
Mr. Wagner: Through a waste
stream analysis, we found that a
large portion of our waste stream
was food wastes. Because of our
harsh weather—long, cold winters
beginning in October and lasting
through late-April or early-May—
vermicomposting is good because it
can be done indoors under the
kitchen sink or in a back pantry.
The red wigglers are great! They
consume more than their body
3
TWJ: How does vermicomposting
fit into your comprehensive solid
waste management plan?
Mr. Wagner: Vermicomposting is a
great way to get tribal members into
a recycling mindset and into the
habit of separating wastes. With
vermicomposting, they are already
separating out food scraps, so then
separating aluminum, glass, plastics,
and cardboard would be a logical
next step. We are in the process of
closing our current dump site and
opening a new transfer station. As
part of the transfer station, we are
planning an outdoor composting
operation. Composting is one part
of our comprehensive solid waste
management plan and will help us
reduce the amount of waste passing
through our transfer station, which
will reduce our disposal costs.
Vermicomposting is a great
way to get tribal members
into a recycling mindset and
into the habit of separating
wastes. With vermicompost­
ing, they are already sepa­
rating out food scraps, so
then separating aluminum,
glass, plastics, and card­
board would be a logical
next step.
—Gerald Wagner, director,
Tribal Environmental Office,
Blackfeet Indian Reservation
Program and a local restaurant. He
uses the worm castings as a soil
amendment. We have also been
working with Wilbur and the col­
lege to promote the construction of
community hot houses to help with
family gardens.
TWJ: How did you fund your ver­
micomposting initiative?
Mr. Wagner: We
Ms. Flamand:
got our start when
We’re also
our EPA Tribal
encouraging
Coordinator for
tribal members
Montana,
to grow their
Stephanie Wallace,
own foods.
contacted us about
Diabetes is a
available funding.
major health
She had been
issue on the
reviewing our com­
reservation. We
prehensive solid
hope that by
Tribal members “feeding” the
growing health- Blackfeet Community College worms. waste management
plan and saw our
ful foods in fam­
plan for a vermi­
ily gardens, people will improve
composting program. From this, we
their eating habits and their health.
received a $20,000 grant. The fact
We share this goal with Wilbur
that we already had a solid waste
Fish, the Blackfeet Community
coordinator on staff helped us to
College (BCC) Extension Agent
immediately start our program. We
and herbologist. Wilbur runs the
hope that the continued support of
greenhouse at BCC that now has
the tribe and college can help us
two giant worm bins that use food
keep the program going.
scraps collected at the Head Start
TWJ: How did you get the commu­
nity involved? What was the community’s reaction?
Ms. Flamand: When we started
our vermicomposting project, we
wanted to work with small children
to teach them about composting
and get them excited and involved.
We coordinated with the Blackfeet
Head Start program in Browning to
collect their food scraps for the
worms. At first, the staff was reluc­
tant, but once we met with them
and the project progressed they
became really excited about it. We
only collect about a pound of food
scraps each week from the Head
Start, so it is primarily an educa­
tional effort, but we feel it is
worthwhile.
Composting
Terminology
Biosolids—Treated and
processed sewage sludge.
Biosolids are nutrient-rich
organic materials that can be
safely recycled and applied as
fertilizer to sustainably improve
and maintain productive soils
and stimulate plant growth.
Vermiculture/vermicomposting—Using worms to break
down organic matter into
nutrient-rich compost called
castings. Vermicomposting
bins can function indoors or
outdoors, but cannot process
animal products or grease.
Worm tea—Nutrient-rich liquid
generated during the vermi­
composting process.
Windrow—Long, narrow piles
of organic materials typically
arranged in rows. Frequent
turning of windrows aerates
the piles and helps maintain
the desired temperature and
oxygen levels.
The Tribal Voice
weight everyday. They just eat, eat,
eat! Also, you don’t have to turn
the waste. The worms do all the
work and the end result is nutrient
rich compost and worm tea, which
can be used in gardening.
Tribal Waste Journal
The Tribal Voice
Tribal Waste Journal
4
Garth and Radium Woolf with their composting science fair projects.
I also gave about 10 composting
presentations in five of the seven
communities on the reservation.
The training focused on diverting
food scraps from the waste stream,
with vermicomposting as one
method we discussed. I tried to
make the presentations fun. I used
humor, funny pictures, and stories
whenever I could. For the kids, I do
interactive skits that get them
involved and excited.
One meeting of elders, attended by
a mother and her son and daughter,
inspired them to create science fair
projects. Garth Woolf (14 years old)
developed a project for the Middle
School Science Fair. I gave him a
five-gallon plastic container, the
worms, and instructions on how to
build a vermicomposting bin which
he built by himself. His 12-year old
sister, Radium, also entered a proj­
ect in the science fair. Building on
her brother’s work, she used the
worm castings and compost from
Garth’s vermi bin to fertilize a plant
and compare its rate of growth to
another plant that did not get any
compost. Adrian Wagner, Gerald’s
son, took his vermicomposting proj­
ect to the State Science Fair in
Missoula.
TWJ: What other vermicomposting
projects have you done?
Ms. Flamand: We wanted to help
enhance the BCC greenhouse, so we
used money from another grant we
received to purchase design plans and
build a “high-tech” worm bin box.
The bin was 8 feet long by 4 feet
high by 2 feet deep. We chose this
particular design because it offered a
controlled environment for the
worms, but also because its height
meant you didn’t have to bend over a
lot when taking care of the worms.
Some of us have lost touch
with looking after the envi­
ronment. We have become
a throwaway society. We
are trying to re-educate and
teach tribal members that
they are responsible for the
waste they generate. The
EPA grant we received has
helped us get back to things
we used to do—turning our
waste into something good.
—Mary Ellen Flamand,
solid waste coordinator,
Blackfeet Indian Reservation
Initially, we placed the bin inside
the greenhouse, but it was too hot
and the worms were drying out.
Placing it outside lead to the worms
and waste being over ventilated and
dried out again because of the high
winds on the reservation and the
bin’s design. Based upon the short­
comings and lessons learned from
this first worm bin, Wilbur Fish and
a colleague designed and built a new
indoor/outdoor composting system.
This system can handle a large
amount of compostable materials
and uses worms, hay, and food scraps
to generate a nutrient-rich compost
for use in the BCC greenhouse. The
new design really fits our needs and
environment and the castings and
tea have produced spectacular results
in the greenhouse.
TWJ: Does composting have any
historical or traditional roots for
your tribe?
Ms. Flamand: Some of us have lost
touch with looking after the envi­
ronment. We have become a throw­
away society. We are trying to
re-educate and teach tribal members
that they are responsible for the
waste they generate. The EPA
grant we received has helped us get
back to things we used to do—turning our waste into something good.
Years ago, we used every part of the
animal. I remember one elder
telling me how she used to fashion a
hardened bladder bag into a bowl to
cook meat. She placed the meat,
water, and hot rocks in the bladder
bowl and boiled her meat. We have
been trying to encourage people to
think about these types of things
again and even return to some of
these practices.
TWJ: What advice do you have for
other tribes considering composting?
Mr. Wagner: You can’t do this on
your own. You really need everyone
involved. That is what we’ve
done—involved everybody, includ­
ing children, elders, and the com­
munity college. You also need the
tribe to buy into the program. Any
composting project needs to be
pushed and funded as part of an
ongoing recycling program. It is
hard to sustain a program such as
this without a steady source of
financial support.
The mention of any company, product, or process in this publication does not constitute
or imply endorsement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
5
Tribal Waste Journal
R
eturning dead material to the Earth to provide fodder
for new growth is central to the “circle of life” con­
cept. Backyard composting—composting food scraps
and plant clippings at home—provides an opportunity for
people to play a role in continuing this cycle by returning
valuable nutrients to the soil. At the same time, it saves money
in disposal costs—a real benefit for tribes that subsidize waste
disposal—and diverts unnecessary waste from the waste stream.
“You
have noticed
that everything an
Indian does is in a circle,
and that is because the
Power of the World always
works in circles, and every­
thing tries to be round...”
Black Elk, Oglala
Sioux Holy Man
Backyard composting ties perfectly into home gardening—garden
clippings can be composted, and the compost can be applied to the
garden as a soil amendment, especially in areas with poor soil quality. By gar­
dening in conjunction with composting, tribal members can grow healthy, low-cost produce and revive gar­
dening skills often lost to the younger generation.
The Fond du Lac, Ho-Chunk, and Oneida Nations have had tremendous success with backyard composting
programs without a huge financial investment. Here are their stories.
Backyard composting takes many
shapes and forms, and tribes
approach it in myriad ways. The
Fond du Lac Tribe, located in
northeastern Minnesota, provided
200 vermiculture bins and 200
counties in Wisconsin, conducted a
home gardening and composting
workshop for a small group of tribal
families. Ho-Chunk’s project
focused on home gardening, with
composting as an important element
to introduce nutrients into the soil.
t i p s
F O R
s t a r t i n g
backyard composting bins to com­
munity members free of charge to
allow them to begin composting at
home. Likewise, the Oneida Tribe,
in neighboring Wisconsin, offered
bins to tribal members at a discounted rate. Oneida’s recycling
coordinator, Diane Jourdan, is working toward a Master Composter certificate and teaches a home
composting class to community
members on Earth Day. The HoChunk Nation, which has a nonreservation status and spans 15
A B A C K YA R D
COMPOSTING PROGR AM
• Approach tribal council for
funding
• Find a local expert
• Provide ongoing support/troubleshooting
• Publicize the program
• Connect to tribal
tradition/other activities
Getting Off the Ground
To begin a community backyard
composting program, most tribes
undergo three main steps:
• Planning
• Securing funding
• Education
Planning involves determining the
number of tribal members you want
to involve in the early stages,
whether you want to purchase bins,
and how you will educate community members and publicize your proj­
ect. Tribes often start by presenting
the idea of backyard composting to
the tribal council to solicit funding
for start-up expenses. For the Fond
du Lac Tribe’s Environmental
Program, backyard composting bins
were an easy sell to the Reservation
Business Committee (RBC) because
of the money they would save.
Waste sorts had demonstrated that
food scraps comprised roughly 15
percent of the reservation’s waste
Feature: composting
Backyard Composting:
Cultivating the Many Benefits
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
stream; therefore, the tribe could
lower its disposal costs by diverting
food scraps to compost bins. The
Environmental Program supplemented funding from
the RBC with General
Assistance Program
(GAP) grant funding.
The Oneida tribe
received a grant for its
vermicomposting project, but
for backyard composting, the tribe
simply purchased composting bins
and sold them at a discount to tribal
members.
An invaluable resource to most
tribes when beginning a composting
program is the wisdom of a local
expert. The Oneida tribe was fortu­
nate to have a composting guru in
its recycling coordinator, Ms.
Jourdan, who also relied upon the
6
ongoing composting program of an
adjacent county as a resource. The
Fond du Lac tribe tapped the
knowledge of local expert Ellen
Sandbeck, author of a book
about reducing the use of
toxic substances in daily
activities. Nathan
Reinbold, Fond du Lac’s
environmental education
outreach coordinator, says he
educated himself through Cornell
University’s composting Web site,
which contains comprehensive
composting guides, curricula, and
case studies.
For the Ho-Chunk tribe, getting
started was a matter of getting con­
nected. Ho-Chunk’s project focused
on home gardening, and the tribe
brought in an expert to conduct a
one-day home gardening workshop
A Day of Growing
The Ho-Chunk tribe’s one-day gardening and composting workshop con­
sisted of hands-on instruction from expert Mike Flynn on how to plant a
garden, integrate organic soil amendments, and compost food scraps to
generate soil amendments and reduce waste. The class was held at the
house of a tribal family that volunteered its garden for
the demonstration.
Mr. Flynn taught the class
at an introductory level,
which was perfect for the
families, most of whom
had no gardening experi­
ence. In addition to his
strong base of scientific
knowledge, Mr. Flynn’s
humor and stories made
composting exciting to
many who had never con­
sidered the idea. After the
class, the participating fami­
lies shared a meal together.
In the future, Ho-Chunk hopes
to offer the same class to more
families, and to offer similar class­
es in seed saving, food preserva­
tion, and canning—specifically of tradi­
tional foods such as squash and Indian corn.
for Ho-Chunk families. EPA’s
Region 5 office connected the work­
shop coordinator, Lisa D’Angelo,
with Mike Flynn of Milwaukee, an
urban gardening instructor. The
tribe was also fortunate that Ms.
D’Angelo is an organic gardening
expert. (One resource that Ms.
D’Angelo recommends for those
interested in home gardening is
Organic Gardening magazine.)
Tribes that do not know of a local
or tribal expert might consider the
assistance of a university or state
extension service. These institutions
often have experts available for vol­
unteer projects, and also offer infor­
mation and technical assistance.
Contacting regional EPA or state
environmental agencies can also be
helpful, as is networking with coun­
ty employees and other tribes with
composting programs.
Spreading the Knowledge,
Spreading the Word
The keys to maintaining a strong
backyard composting program in
your community are:
• Conducting upfront education
• Providing ongoing support
• Maintaining publicity and
awareness about the project
Teaching community members how
to compost can be accomplished in
a group format or on a one-on-one
basis. For example, Diane Jourdan
of Oneida teaches a class on home
composting each year on Earth
Day. Each student receives a free
composting bin and learns how to
use it during the class. Likewise,
the Ho-Chunk workshop brought
many people together to learn in a
community setting. In contrast,
Mr. Reinbold of the Fond du Lac
Tribe spends 10 minutes with each
community member when he or
7
Tribal Waste Journal
After providing tribal members with
an initial lesson, offering ongoing
support and help pinpointing and
correcting problems is critical. For
Ms. Jourdan, this continuity was
achieved by providing her phone
number for people to call for ques­
tions or comments about their bins.
When people described problems,
Ms. Jourdan could often explain
solutions. Participants in the HoChunk gardening workshop report­
ed on their progress when they saw
Ms. D’Angelo at the clinic, and she
visited the families to see the
progress of their gardens.
Mr. Reinbold uses the Fond du Lac
Environmental Program’s monthly
newsletter and the monthly tribal
newspaper to discuss common com­
posting bin problems and how to
avoid them. He also uses these
newspapers as a tool for publicizing
the program, and informs residents
Students learn how to compost at the Oneida Tribe’s Turtle
Elementary School.
that they can pick up free compost­
ing bins.
Publicity can occur both formally,
through outreach efforts, and infor­
mally, through word-of-mouth. For
the Ho-Chunk gardening project,
word-of-mouth was the main con­
duit by which news and interest in
the project spread. People told oth­
ers about their gardens, and many
more families expressed an interest
in participating. Ms. D’Angelo
Backyard composting can be
approached in several ways:
• Use a basic 5-gallon bucket with a lid
• Purchase or build a compost bin outside of the home
• Trenching: Rake yard debris into a pile and add food scraps
• Backfilling: Dig a trench and fill it with compostable materials
Materials commonly added to backyard compost piles include fruit
and vegetable scraps, peels, and rinds; coffee grinds and tea bags;
bread products; and yard wastes such as leaves, grass clippings, and
plant trimmings.
keeps a list of families that saw their
neighbors gardening and would also
like to learn.
Other ways to publicize your back­
yard composting program and moti­
vate people to participate include
distributing information at fairs and
community events or creating a
composting Web page. You can also
consider maintaining a demonstra­
tion organic garden, providing
books to interested community
members, providing gardening cush­
ions, or creating creative T-shirts,
such as Fond du Lac’s—“Compost:
because a rind is a terrible thing to
waste.” Another important idea for
making the program a success is to
incorporate a social element. For
Ho-Chunk, the families who
attended the workshop ate together
afterward. Ms. D’Angelo comment­
ed that incorporating this social ele­
ment was very important to the
success of the project, as this is
highly valued by the tribe.
Feature: composting
she picks up a free bin, explaining
how the bin works and what mate­
rials can and cannot be added. He
also gives participants a food scrap
collection bucket that can be
stored under the kitchen sink until
the contents can be transferred to
the bin.
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
Need Funding?
Give BIA a Call
Looking for funding for a solid
waste project? Try calling your BIA
Regional Environmental Scientist.
That’s what Nathan Reinbold, envi­
ronmental education outreach
coordinator of the Fond du Lac
Reservation, did to get $40,000 to
finance the creation of a large scale
composting operation. After speak­
ing with Herb Nelson, the BIA
Midwest Region regional environ­
mental scientist, he submitted a let­
ter explaining the project and out­
lining the tribe’s financial needs.
Mr. Nelson explains that the
Environmental Management
Program’s operating budget covers
the program’s operating expenses
and salaries of BIA’s 12 regional
environmental scientists and pro­
vides BIA’s contribution to the
Interagency Tribal Open Dump
Cleanup Project. Any leftover funds
are divided equally amongst the
BIA regions to be awarded to tribes
for environmental projects. Each
region typically gets between
$300,000 and $350,000 annually.
Awards to individual tribes are gen­
erally less than $30,000, but there
are very few restrictions on how
the money can be used by a tribe.
Mr. Nelson recommends calling
your BIA regional environmental sci­
entist in the early fall to learn about
the availability of funds and how to
apply. The awards process follows
the federal budget cycle, so applica­
tions typically need to be submitted
to BIA by October 1 each year.
Application requirements may vary
by region, but in many cases a onepage letter outlining what the proj­
ect would entail, how much is being
requested, how the money will be
spent, and a project time line is
enough. “If you can spread your
project out over 2-years, you
increase your chances of getting
funded,” advises Mr. Nelson.
8
Connections
In addition to diverting organics
from the waste stream, home
composting and gardening often
tie into tribal tradition. As Mr.
Reinbold points out, composting
fits with the Fond du Lac
Environmental Program’s motto:
“It is our duty to protect the
environment and those crea­
tures that cannot protect them­
selves for future generations.”
For the Ho-Chunk tribe, whose
program focuses on home gar­
dening and composting, the
project creates a specific demon­
stration of the circle of life. The
compost is an important compo­
nent of the gardening project,
because the soil in the area has
a high sand content—people
will say that the soil is so poor
that you cannot have a garden.
Therefore, it is necessary to
teach gardeners how to incorpo­
rate organic wastes such as peat
moss, grass clippings, and compost
to enrich the soil. Teaching home
gardening revives skills from the
grandparents’ generation that
younger people say they would like
to develop.
Through a ripple effect, news of HoChunk’s home gardening and com­
posting project has made its way to
the tribe’s historical society. Says Lisa
D’Angelo, “The project connects to
the work of the historical society—
which strives to revitalize all aspects
of Ho-Chunk culture, including diet,
language, and traditions—because it
connects to the tribe’s history as an
agricultural, as opposed to a huntergatherer, tribe.” Home gardening
gives people access to inexpensive,
organic vegetables—a benefit
emphasized by Ms. D’Angelo, who
works for Ho-Chunk’s Black River
Falls Health and Wellness Center.
Gardening also encourages people to
be more active and helps families
work as units.
Students from the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School show off their compost and
one of its contributors.
9
Tribal Waste Journal
T
he Tlingit National Anthem is a testament to the
determination and perseverance of the Tlingit people,
who currently inhabit Southeast Alaska. According to
the anthem, the Tlingits once lived far from the ocean in a
region now known as Yukon Territory. After hearing that fish
were abundant in the Pacific Ocean, they decided to jour­
ney from the interior of the continent to the coast. The jour­
ney was long, arduous, and riddled with obstacles, including
a giant glacier. A group of daring women traveled under the glacier via a stream and urged the others to fol­
low. Thus the Tlingit people prevailed and arrived at the ocean’s edge, where food was plentiful.
The Tlingit people of Kake, a small village located on Kupreanof Island, 150 mile south of Juneau, possess the
determined spirit of their ancestors. This tenacity enabled them to open a composting operation despite
obstacles such as lack of technical expertise, inadequate equipment, and a harsh climate. The persistent vil­
lagers overcame many of these challenges to get “fish and chip” composting off the ground, relying on an
abundant supply of raw materials and patience to beat the odds. Bob Mills, Kake’s composting manager,
believes that his team will soon raze the final barrier to success—breaking into the retail market—and the com­
posting operation will become profitable.
In 2001, faced with the collapse of
the island’s timber operation, Sam
Jackson, the CEO and president of
Kake, decided to pursue composting
as an economic development project.
He recognized that the fish waste
generated by the village’s cold storage
company could be combined with the
slash and downed timber left behind
by loggers to create nutrient-rich
compost. In addition to having the
right raw materials for compost,
Kupreanof Island is speckled with for­
mer log clearing areas, open spaces
that are far from the village and ideal
for large, odorous windrow piles.
Putting all the pieces together, Kake
seemed to have the key ingredients
for a successful composting operation.
A Learning Curve
When Mr. Jackson asked Bob Mills,
who was a logging manager at the
time, to run the nascent composting
program, Mr. Mills’ initial response
was, “What’s composting?” After
hearing the details, Mr. Mills
accepted the challenge, although he
had no prior experience with com­
posting. Kake gave Mr. Mills a 902
Cat front loader and a dump truck
to get started.
“Composting is like learning
to swim. You can read
about it or listen to some­
one explain the process, but
you really learn by doing it.”
Bob Mills, composting
manager, Kake
Initially, Mr. Mills used the dump
truck to haul salmon and crab car­
casses, bones, and guts from the pro­
cessing facility in Kake to the remote
log clearing areas, where he com­
bined the waste with sawdust from
Silver Bay Logging Company in
piles stretching 200 feet long. After
finding composting recipes on the
Internet, Mr. Mills solicited advice
from the Alaskan Wood Utilization
Center and consultants. Despite con­
ducting background research, Mr.
Mills discovered that he was not pre­
pared for the field. “Composting is
like learning to swim,” he said. “You
can read about it or listen to some­
one explain the process, but you real­
ly learn by doing it.” The first few
piles did not produce a quality final
product. Mr. Mills experimented
with the moisture content of the
compost piles and varied the ratio of
fish waste to sawdust, tweaking the
recipe, until he achieved success.
Training Trials
The initial recipe setback motivated
Mr. Mills to attend a composting
class to avoid future problems. He
traveled to the state of Washington
for a five-day Compost Facility
Operator Training sponsored by the
Washington Organic Recycling
Feature: composting
Scaling Obstacles: Turning
Fish Waste into Resources
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
10
(L) Making fish and chips: workers add fish waste to the prepared wood waste
windrows. (R) Ships unload their catch at the Kake processing plant.
Council (WORC). “I thought the
class would be a breeze,” said Mills.
Instead he found himself surrounded
by scientists, seasoned compost
operators, and instructors who used
words such as “thermal treatment”
and “bulking agents.” Mr. Mills
studied morning and night, and the
instructor helped him master the
material by defining new terms. On
the fifth day, Mr. Mills passed the
final exam with flying colors.
During the training, Mr. Mills real­
ized that he had made some mistakes
during his first few months as com­
posting manager, and he learned how
to correct them. He discovered, for
example, that his compost piles were
too moist, creating anaerobic condi­
tions that stymied the decomposition
process. He remedied the situation
by increasing airflow through the
piles and placing tarpaulins on them
to minimize rain infiltration.
Investing in the Future
Mr. Mills approached the village and
explained that he needed more
equipment for the composting ven­
ture. Recognizing that the project
possessed tremendous economic
potential, Kake invested more than
$1 million in new equipment, pur­
chasing a 2200 Cat backhoe, a 16­
foot Scarab turner, and a bagging
machine. Workers use the backhoe
to dig a long ‘V’ down the center of
each row of sawdust or wood chips
before adding fish waste. The Scarab
turner is essential to the operation—
imagine turning 200- foot-long piles
by hand! The bagging machine
enables workers to package the prod­
uct for sale. Although Kake needed
this equipment to succeed, heavy
machinery is expensive, and the vil­
lage was forced to close its cold stor­
age operation, temporarily, to
support the composting enterprise.
Although fish waste and wood
abound on Kupreanof Island, logging
debris must be chipped before Kake
can use it in compost piles. During
the first year, Mr. Mills purchased
sawdust from a logging company
located 100 miles south of the island
because he could not chip the wood
scattered about the island. He con­
ducted an Internet search and locat­
ed Bobby Wolfer, a businessman in
the state of Washington who sells
tubgrinders. Mr. Mills called Mr.
Wolfer regularly for a year, cultivat­
ing a relationship with him.
Eventually, Mr. Wolfer visited Kake
to inspect the composting operation.
The visit convinced Mr. Wolfer that
Kake could succeed, and he worked
with Mr. Mills to transport a tubgrinder, which cost approximately
$470,000, to Kupreanof Island.
Taking the Market’s Pulse
Mr. Mills used a value-added pro­
ducer grant from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Rural
Development Service to hire
Aadland Marketing. Kake used this
firm for past projects, so Aadland
Marketing employees were already
familiar with the village’s culture
and goals. In fact, Kake approached
Aadland Marketing’s Greg Galik for
help with the grant application. Mr.
Galik worked closely with Mr. Mills
and other representatives from Kake
to draft an 80-page proposal for a
marketing feasibility study that
would allow the village to determine
the price of its product, identify
ideal product packaging, and create
a promotion strategy. Kake requested
$77,000 and received $47,327,
which it matched.
Kupreanof Island is along a major
shipping route between Juneau and
Ketchikan. Ships traveling north
from Seattle carry supplies to
Anchorage and return with empty
containers. Aadland Marketing con­
tacted several shipping companies
and discovered that Kake could move
its compost to Washington state
(where demand for quality compost is
high) in these empty containers for
only a small fee. Next, Mr. Galik
organized focus groups in Washington
and provided samples of Kake’s com­
post to gardeners and landscapers,
who agreed that the product was
loamy with a pleasant earthy smell.
They liked the idea of compost gen­
erated from natural materials free of
chemicals, so Aadland Marketing
encouraged Kake to get its product
certified as organic. The focus group
participants also felt that “Totem
Soils” was the perfect name for Kake’s
compost and that it should be pack­
aged in attractive 12-quart bags.
In addition to organizing focus groups,
Aadland Marketing urged Kake to get
its product tested for pathogens, met­
als, and general quality. Although
Kake does not compost human waste,
the village chose to follow EPA’s
11
Tribal Waste Journal
disturbs ecosystems. Mr. Mills
hopes to obtain a contract with a
large retailer that demands large
quantities of compost from its sup­
pliers. If Kake secures a contract
with this type of company, com­
posting on Kupreanof Island could
mitigate a regional environmental
problem in addition to providing
jobs for locals.
Aadland used the information
obtained from the focus groups and
product testing to create effective
marketing brochures and a Web site
for greenhouse operators and retailers.
Mr. Galik and Mr. Mills are develop­
ing relationships with some of these
individuals and hope to obtain sever­
al contracts before the next growing
season. In 2003, Kake established
4,000 linear feet of windrows and
composted 6 million pounds of fish
waste, although Mr. Mills believes
the operation could easily be expand­
ed because fish waste is abundant in
Southeast Alaska. Fish processors
throughout the region are searching
for alternatives to dumping this waste
into local bodies of water, where it
While Mr. Mills waits to hear
from retailers, he must continue to
maintain the compost piles and
meet local challenges. Bears, fluc­
tuating rainfall, and odors are
ongoing challenges facing the
operation, and Mr. Mills must
address them to keep the
windrows intact and village resi­
dents content. For example, bears
harass workers as they turn the
compost piles. Mr. Mills does not
have the funding to erect fences
around the windrows, so he must
chase away the bears on foot.
Local Challenges
Climate also presents an obstacle.
Southeast Alaska experiences a
rainy season in the fall and winter
and a dry season in the spring and
summer, which makes maintaining proper moisture levels in com­
post piles difficult. During the
summer, Mr. Mills must add water
to the windrows, and during the
winter, he must cover them with
tarpaulins to keep them dry.
Eventually, he would like to obtain
funding for a warehouse to keep the
curing piles out of the elements and
away from bears.
Trucks loaded with fish waste used to
pass through Kake, traveling from the
fish processing plant to the compost
site, until residents complained of the
associated stench. Mills asked the
truck drivers to circumvent the vil­
lage, adding several miles to the trip,
but appeasing community members.
U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s
Value-Added
Producer Grants
When Bob Mills needed funding to
hire a marketing firm, he turned to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) Rural Development
Service for assistance. USDA offers
value-added producer grants, which
tribes and villages can use to devel­
op and implement marketing plans
for value-added agricultural products
such as compost. As Mr. Mills dis­
covered, the grant application is
complex and time-consuming, but
can yield great rewards. The average
grant award is $170,000, although
applicants can request up to
$500,000, and grant recipients must
match 100 percent of the funds.
USDA publishes the value-added
producer grant application dead­
lines and funding levels in the
Federal Register and announces
this information on its Web site
at <www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/
coops/vadg.htm>. For a list of
state office contacts, visit
<www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/
coops/vadgstateoffice.html>.
Despite such obstacles, Mr. Mills
remains confident that Kake’s com­
posting operation will be successful.
He believes that gardeners will
request the premium Totem Soil
when they learn about it. He also
hopes to begin accepting fish waste
from other processing plants in
Southeast Alaska. While Mr. Mills
waits for Totem Soil to gain popular­
ity, he provides advice to others
interested in composting. In 2004,
for example, he attended a wood uti­
lization convention in Anchorage
and delivered a presentation on
Kake’s project with a message of
hope. “It’s been a struggle,” said Mr.
Mills. “But I’m glad we’re doing it.”
Feature: composting
biosolid composting regulations to
ensure a vector and pathogen-free
final product. Laboratory tests con­
firmed that Kake’s compost is highquality potting soil, although Mr.
Galik pointed out, “Kake’s windrows
are young and compost is like a fine
wine. It becomes more valuable as it
gets older.” Aadland Marketing sug­
gested that Kake publicize these test
results to demonstrate the quality of
its product.
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
12
Cherokee Commitment to
Quality Creates Premier Food
Waste Compost
J
ust as quality compost requires the proper mix­
ture of raw materials, individuals working for the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ composting
operations must possess the perfect blend of techni­
cal expertise, business acumen, and cultural knowl­
edge. The Cherokee run two successful large-scale
composting operations—one for food scraps and
one for biosolids—at the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina. The tribe credits
well-trained composting operators with saving them thousands of dollars in tip­
ping fees annually. By selling compost to tribal members at bargain prices, these
employees have also encouraged community members to return to the tribe’s
agricultural roots through gardening.
To reduce waste disposal costs, the Cherokee began composting biosolids from its wastewater treatment plant
in 1995 and expanded its operations to collect food residuals in 1997. Today, the tribe composts approximate­
ly 72 tons of food waste and 96 dry tons of biosolids per month. The food waste, collected from seven local
restaurants, including three within Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, sells for $35 per ton, while the biosolids com­
post garners $15 per ton.
Considered a landmark program, the tribe’s composting operation has been lauded by EPA and other organizations.
The tribe, however, needs to look no further than its customers to recognize its success. “Our repeat customers say
our compost is the best in the world,” says Ritchie Bottchenbaugh, a composting supervisor for the tribe.
The End Product Begins
with Training
As with all types of composting,
developing an expertise in largescale composting is a hands-on,
trial-and-error process. However, as
John D. Long, former composting
manager, emphasizes, “There are
so many technical things you need
to know to compost properly and
produce a quality product—
carbon/nitrogen ratios, moisture
levels, temperature—you need
training to get and keep all of this
straight.” The tribe’s commitment
to producing a high-quality compost
product begins with its staff.
Compost managers look for highly
motivated employees and require
professional training to ensure they
have the know-how to create a
superior product.
“It took a little while to get
people to use and want our
products. Now we can’t
keep the stuff.”
—John D. Long, former
composting manager, Eastern
Band of Cherokee Indians
The Cherokee’s composting and recycling managers, including Mr. T.
Trejo, Mr. Bottchenbaugh, and Mr.
Long, obtained certifications through
the Carolina Composting Council
and the Solid Waste Association of
North America (SWANA), both of
which they highly recommend. They
keep their certifications current by
attending annual workshops. Mr.
Long also attended the Better
Composting School at the University
of Maryland, of which he speaks
highly. The tribal composting managers emphasize that many beneficial
training opportunities exist—the
challenge is to secure the necessary
resources to attend them. Inquiring
about scholarships is one strategy to
reduce the financial barriers.
The Cherokee now share with others
the expertise they have gained
13
The Composting Nitty Gritty
The Cherokee emphasize the impor­
tance of training because there is
much to know. Turning food residu­
als into a nutrient-rich soil amend­
ment involves many steps, numerous
measurements, and more than a
month’s time from start to finish.
The tribe’s food residuals compost­
ing program begins at the restau­
rants, where restaurant employees
manually separate kitchen wastes
and remove contaminants such as
plastic and glass materials. Tribal
utilities employees collect the food
wastes as many as two or three times
per day to maintain a positive rela­
tionship with the restaurants. After
collection, employees transport the
containers of food waste to the
tribe’s waste transfer station and
weigh them to maintain accurate
records for documentation and
reporting requirements. They then
mix the food residuals with wood
chips and sawdust—derived from
chipping community members’ yard
trimmings in a Duratech tub
grinder—as well as shredded waste
paper from tribal office buildings.
The wood chips and paper serve as a
source of carbon, and the wood
chips also create spaces for aeration.
The tribe uses a front-end loader to
mix the materials, then places the
mixture in windrows—long piles
that measure 100 feet long, four feet
high, and six feet wide. The piles are
turned once on the first day, then
three to four times per day for the
remainder of the windrow process.
The piles must remain at a constant
temperature above 135°F for 15
days, a standard that the Eastern
Band of Cherokee generally exceeds.
After approximately four weeks in
the windrows, the new compost is
transferred to a covered storage area
for curing and screening.
The tribe uses a different composting
method to compost biosolids—composting approximately 96 dry tons per
month—with additional modifications
to destroy pathogens, reduce moisture,
and address the specific nature of the
waste. Unlike food residuals compost­
ing, biosolids composting is guided by
federal regulations under the Clean
Water Act (40CFR Part 503).
to a quarter inch size. To ensure the
quality of its compost, the tribe sends
samples for nutrient and metals test­
ing to an EPA accredited facility.
The Tribe’s Business Acumen
While composting provides numer­
ous benefits, the primary reason the
Cherokee decided to begin a largescale composting program was to
save money. As Mr. Long says, “We
got started composting out of neces­
sity.” When the federal municipal
solid waste landfill regulations
became effective in 1991, the tribe
was one of many communities
across the United States required to
close their landfill. In response, they
constructed a waste transfer station
and set the goal of recycling as
much as possible to reduce waste
transportation and disposal fees.
Thus, composting was a smart busi­
ness proposition for the tribe.
Biosolid waste is first dewatered and chemically treated
at the tribe’s wastewater
treatment plant, then com­
posted on a bed of wood
chips using a fan-forced aer­
ated static pile method in a
roofed, partially walled
building. A perforated plas­
The Cherokee use their own compost to improve
tic pipe runs through the
center of each bed of chips, the landscape around tribal office buildings.
and air is forced into and
When the Cherokee decided to begin
out of the pile through the pipe to
the food residuals composting pro­
help ensure that conditions do not
gram in 1997, they applied for and
become anaerobic, which would
received a three-year project grant for
release odor and attract vermin.
$133,500 from EPA. The grant
The tribe exceeds EPA’s time and
required that the tribe match 5 per­
temperature requirements for biosol­
cent of the funding, but the tribe
id composting to ensure that all
matched 122 percent, using the fund­
pathogens are destroyed. The piles
ing to purchase equipment, prepare
require 13 to 15 days to reach 146°F,
the site, hire an extra staff member,
and the temperature is maintained
and develop the composting guide,
for 15 days. Then, the compost is
Composting Made Simple. The opera­
placed in a curing pile until the
tional expenses are now approximate­
moisture level drops to 30 percent or
ly $180,000 per year, and the program
less. After the compost moves
comes close to breaking even by sell­
through the curing pile, it is screened ing the final product.
Feature: composting
through training and experience.
In August 2004, the tribe hosted a
Carolina Composting Council
certification course funded by EPA
Region 4. In addition, Mr. Trejo
developed a comprehensive guide
replete with photographs, Composting
Made Simple, which EPA distributes to
other tribes to help them develop sim­
ilar large-scale composting programs.
Representatives from several tribes in
the region, including the Seminole
Tribe of Florida and the Mississippi
Band of Choctaw Indians, have also
visited the composting facilities.
Tribal Waste Journal
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
14
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Odors are a common problem for large-scale com­
posting operations, “especially early on when you
are learning and perfecting your process,” states
Mr. Long. The Cherokee initially experienced odor
problems because the compost piles were not
receiving enough oxygen. When they switched
from a front-end loader to a windrow turner to
turn the piles, the odor problem was virtually elimi­
nated. However, neighboring community members
continued to complain. To solve the problem, com­
post operators planted bamboo between the station
and neighboring property, and the complaints died off.
Explained Mr. Long, “If people see your process and it
looks like it should smell, then people will complain about
it smelling. If they can’t see it, then they don’t know or
think that there is anything to complain about.” He empha­
sizes that locating the facility away from homes when possible allows you
to address odor concerns before community members complain.
Tribal council members have been
very supportive of the composting
program because they recognize the
cost savings and benefits. As Mr.
Long explains, “We had to go before
the tribal council and show the actu­
al numbers from our pilot project to
demonstrate the cost savings. It is
like going to a bank for a loan—you
need to show them something con­
crete. Once we showed the council
our numbers, it was a no-brainer.”
Another factor the tribe considers
critical to their success is the strong
rapport they maintain with the local
restaurants that generate the food
waste. Mr. Bottchenbaugh keeps an
open line of communication with
the restaurant managers, speaking to
them nearly every day. He stresses
the importance of being flexible
with the restaurants and responding
to their needs. Tribal utilities
employees generally pick up the
food scraps two or three times per
day, but if the restaurants request
more than three pickups, the com­
posting employees gladly oblige.
The tribe sells most of its compost
to residents, tribal roads divisions,
and other tribal programs that pick
up the product at the transfer sta­
tion. While the Eastern Band of
Cherokee has not bagged its com­
post, it has begun marketing it to
organizations off the reservation.
Mr. Bottchenbaugh is talking to
Harrah’s about purchasing compost
from the tribe, and he is also work­
ing with the North Carolina
Department of Transportation,
which is interested in using com­
posting berms to replace silt fences.
Word-of-mouth has carried the testa­
ment of the high quality of the
Cherokee compost throughout the
community. Local organic farmers
rave about the high nutritional value
of the compost, and the tribe has
collected letters from enthusiastic
customers. The owner of Cherokee
Daylily Gardens attests, “In all our
years of growing daylilies, we have
never experienced this rate of repro­
duction.” As Mr. Long summarizes,
“It took a little while to get people to
use and want our products. Now that
people have seen the results they get
with our compost and realized the
nutrient value of the food waste
compost, we can’t keep the stuff.”
A Return to Tradition
Above and beyond the practical
benefits of composting, its practice
has a history within Cherokee tradi­
tion. As Mr. Bottchenbaugh
describes, “My grandpa says that he
can remember his grandma throw­
ing food waste in a pile of leaves
and rolling it around.” Mr. Long
adds, “As a farmer, I have compost­
ed all of my life, I just didn’t know
it at the time. When we cleaned out
the animals’ stalls, we piled the
straw and manure and let it decom­
pose. Then we spread it on our
fields. We were composting, we just
didn’t call it that.” Thus, compost­
ing offers the added value of bring­
ing the tribe back in touch with its
roots. In addition to composting,
tribal members were traditionally
farmers—growing vegetables such as
corn, potatoes, beans, and squash.
Tribal employees believe that gar­
dening is good for the community
because it reacquaints people with
this agricultural tradition.
To encourage tribal members to gar­
den, the tribe has given away free or
discounted compost. The tribe’s
extension office recently worked
with the Chief to provide communi­
ty members with coupons for com­
post to promote gardening. All 150
coupons issued by the office were
redeemed. People came to pick up
the compost at the transfer station,
and at the same time the tribe gave
away gardening kits.
As the program moves forward, Mr.
Bottchenbaugh is pleased with this
additional benefit for the tribal
community. “The composting
coupons benefit more than just the
transfer station’s bottom line,” Mr.
Bottchenbaugh said. “The
Cherokee people have a rich histo­
ry of farming, and the composting
coupons encourage them to get
back to gardening.”
15
Tribal Waste Journal
Unique Gardens Dig Deep Into Cultural Roots
A garden roof atop the
Mashantucket Pequot Museum and
Research Center offers environmen­
tal, aesthetic, and cultural benefits.
Many garden roofs contain “green”
features, such as compost piles, but
the Pequot’s roof serves a greater
purpose. The museum borders a
swamp filled with rhododendrons
that provided refuge to the Pequots
during King Philip’s War. To pre­
serve this historical site and create
an idyllic setting for special events,
the tribe decided to install the gar­
den roof, which reduces runoff into
the swamp and contains decks and
paths for meetings and receptions.
Initially, the Mashantucket Pequot
tribal council envisioned gardens
with plants native to the Northeast
and hired experts to develop a col­
lection. The tribe, however, had
trouble with these contractors and
replaced them with tribal mainte­
nance employees who lacked knowl­
edge of native plants. As a result,
the garden morphed from a collec­
tion of indigenous species to a
haven for non-native ones.
The green roof continues to evolve
as the Pequots find ways to meet
new challenges and increase the
potential for cultural education.
Tribal members hope to replace
many of the exotic species with
native ones and plan to populate
garden beds with plants that their
ancestors used for food, medicine,
and other purposes. The gardens
will include species such as Indian
hemp, which is used to make rope,
and blood root, which is used to
treat blood ailments. Despite some
obstacles, such as minor leaks in
the roof, the museum staff remain
committed to maintaining the roof
and improving public access to
ethnobotanical information.
(L) Sedge beds being prepared for transplanting the white root sedge plants. (R) Rows of white root sedges growing.
Feature: composting
I
n addition to reducing waste and generating a valuable soil
amendment, composting contributes to the revival of tradi­
tions and the preservation of cultural knowledge. HoChunk Nation’s project demonstrates that tribes can use
composting to reconnect with their agricultural roots. The
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which once relied on
agriculture for survival, distributed coupons for free compost
to tribal members to encourage the rediscovery of home gar­
dening. But some tribes are taking the cultural component of
composting and gardening projects to the next level. For example,
the Mashanantucket Pequots and the Pomo Indians of Redwood
Valley Rancheria are cultivating endemic species to restore lost arts and historical knowledge.
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
16
roots of the sedge plant reach it.
The shallow roots, which are har­
vested for the baskets, turn dark
when they are in nutrient rich soil
such as compost. Basket makers pre­
fer the roots to be light, as they dec­
orate the baskets with dark
materials and the decorations stand
out better against a light founda­
tion.
The children of Redwood Valley
Rancheria enjoy the fruits of their
labor by harvesting the pumpkins
grown using the tribe’s compost.
Like the Mashantucket Pequots,
the Pomo Indians of Redwood
Valley Rancheria discovered a way
to connect gardening with cultural
restoration. The tribe received a
social economic development grant
from the Administration for Native
Americans (part of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services) to develop a white root
sedge garden. Historically, Pomo
Indians wove baskets from the roots
of white root sedge plants.
Although white root sedge grows
naturally along streams and rivers
near Redwood Valley Rancheria,
tribal members cannot access the
plants because the tribe does not
own riverfront property. In the grant
application, the tribe framed the
garden as a heritage preservation
and economic development project—tribal members would use the
white root sedge to create tradition­
al baskets and sell baskets, roots,
and entire sedge plants to generate
revenue.
To prepare the garden for the sedge
plants, tribal members dug trenches,
and applied a small amount of com­
post, then added 6 to 8 inches of
clean sand to imitate the natural
terraces where white sedge usually
grows. Ironically, it is important
that the compost is below the sand
so that only the deep nutritional
In addition to helping the tribe
revive the lost art of basket making,
the white root sedge garden gener­
ates environmental benefits. White
root sedge plants can filter pollu­
tants from runoff and stabilize soil
along highways and near parking
lots, protecting streams and rivers.
The tribe already moved dozens of
plants from the garden to the edge
of the parking lot of the tribe’s new
education building. In addition, the
California Department of
Transportation purchased some of
Redwood Valley Rancheria’s sedge
plants for a bioremediation project
along a highway. These pilot proj­
ects enabled tribal members to
determine the conditions white root
sedge requires to thrive. The tribe
plans to apply this information to
future projects, market the sedge
plants to new customers, and prove
that economic development and
cultural revival can complement
one another.
17
Tribal Waste Journal
Students and Teachers
Worm Up to
Vermicomposting
The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin is not the only tribe to recognize the power of red wigglers (Lumbricus rubellus),
which can eat half of their body weight in 24 hours. Deanna Himango and Nathan Reinbold, of the Fond du Lac
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s Natural Resources Division, implemented a vermicomposting program on the
reservation. This program started at the local Ojibwe School and expanded to 200 households. Mr. Reinbold esti­
mates that approximately one in three families living on the reservation composts, using either an indoor worm
bin or a traditional outdoor bin. As a result, the tribe saves thousands of dollars on waste management each year.
• Routinely feed worms
Locating funding for a vermicom­
posting program, educating appro­
priate staff, setting up worm bins,
and establishing a consistent feeding
routine takes time, but now the pro­
grams at both Turtle Elementary
School and Ojibwe School are selfsufficient. The schools no longer
receive grants or outside sources of
funding for vermicomposting, but
their worms continue to multiply,
and each year, the schools compost
more organic waste. Between 2000
and 2002 alone, Ojibwe School
composted approximately 5,200
pounds of food, saving the tribe
$3,300 in hauling fees.
• Monitor bin progress
Garnering Support
• Use the harvesting process
and the final product to culti­
vate interest in composting
throughout the community
Obtaining support for a vermicom­
posting program from participants
prior to setting up bins is critical.
Ms. Himango held worm committee
meetings at the Ojibwe School
to convince cafeteria staff,
t i p s
F O R
vermicomposting
FROM TRIBES
• Obtain support from partici­
pants prior to purchasing
worms
• Establish a reliable method for
collecting food scraps
• Keep food scraps free of con­
taminants
administrators, and science teachers
that worms make good indoor com­
panions, despite their reputation as
slimy outdoor critters. At the meet­
ings, Ms. Himango explained that a
properly maintained worm bin has a
pleasant earthy odor. She also
pointed out that vermicomposting
would save the tribe money and
conserve landfill space. Although
the meetings allayed many fears, it
took the enthusiasm of children to
fully convince adults that vermi­
composting was a worthy venture.
“Initially the yuck factor made some
faculty members reluctant to partici­
pate,” said Laura Manthe, the ver­
micomposting program coordinator.
“But they came around quickly
when they saw how excited the kids
were about the project.”
The projects at Turtle Elementary
School and Ojibwe School demon­
strate that vermicomposting is not
Feature: composting
Y
ou’ve heard of guinea pigs and ham­
sters as school pets, but have you ever
met teachers who welcomed worms into
their classrooms? Staff and students at Oneida
Nation’s Turtle Elementary School proudly care for
thousands of worms that process food scraps and old
newspapers into valuable compost. Cafeteria workers set
aside food scraps for the worms during food preparation, and
science teachers help students feed and care for the worms.
18
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
collection bins to
ensure that meat,
bones, and dairy prod­
ucts do not contami­
nate the worm food.
Fond du Lac’s Ojibwe
School operates a simi­
lar food scrap collection
system. Each day, third
graders termed “worm
wrigglers” obtain a copy
of the lunch menu,
highlight the items
worms can eat, place
the menu near a red bin
for food scraps, and
oversee the collection
process.
An Oneida Turtle Elementary School student
works with one of the 30 containers used in their
vermicomposting project.
for everyone. Initially, children and
a few progressive adults were the
only community members excited
about worm bins. Their enthusiasm
was contagious on Fond du Lac
Reservation, where a number of
children convinced their parents to
compost.
Keeping Food Scraps
Contaminant Free
When Ms. Manthe proposed a
vermicomposting program at Turtle
Elementary School, some faculty
members argued that the students
would not be able to remember
which food scraps to collect for the
worms. It took only three days,
however, for the children to master
their new roles in the cafeteria.
Kindergartners through eighth
graders collect food scraps in 5-gallon red bins each day during lunch.
The older students weigh the scraps,
load the red containers onto a
wagon, and feed the worms, burying
extra scraps in an outdoor compost
pile. These children monitor the
The Key to
Happy Worms
Though worms are not
picky eaters, they
require a blend of nitrogen-rich food
scraps and carbon-rich bedding
material to remain happy. The
worms at Ojibwe School and Turtle
Elementary School thrive because
teachers and students ensure that
they eat a bal­
anced diet.
At both
schools,
worms receive
food yearround.
At Ojibwe
School teach­
ers have dis­
covered a way
to reduce the
amount of
time spent
caring for
the worms—
food scraps
are stored in
a refrigerator
and added
to the
vermicomposting bins periodically
rather than every day. Teachers
often take care of feeding the
worms, involving the students when
time allows. Alternatively, students
at Turtle Elementary School feed
their worms every day, as the
process takes less than 15 minutes.
Connecting with the
Community
In addition to reducing waste haul­
ing fees, a vermicomposting pro­
gram can strengthen bonds in the
community and generate interest in
composting by fostering communi­
cation between children and adults.
At Turtle Elementary School, stu­
dents use a screening table to sepa­
rate the worms from their castings.
Then they mix the worm castings
with soil and spread them over
raised garden beds, where they grow
fruits and vegetables such as rasp­
berries, squash, potatoes, and broc­
coli. The students enjoy weeding
the garden and caring for the plants,
as the teachers turn these activities
into social events. Each fall, the
Students from the Fond du Lac Band’s Ojibwe School pour
composting “tea” for sale to community members.
19
Tribal Waste Journal
Indoor composting bins range from the homemade variety to special three-tiered systems. Although the Fond du
Lac Environmental Department distributes recycled-content plastic bins to community members, it uses four large
metal troughs for vermicomposting at Ojibwe School. The Oneida Tribe uses 30 25- gallon plastic containers for
the Turtle Elementary School Project.
Any vermicomposting bin must include a cover, as worms like dark, moist environments. Also, worms like to feed
near the surface, so a bin should not be too deep. Holes near the bottom of a vermicomposting bin allow nutrient-rich liquids from the decomposing waste to drain.
After selecting a bin of the appropriate size, the next step is to shred bedding material such as newspaper, com­
puter paper, or leaves into small pieces, soak them in water, and spread them around the bin. Worms ingest grit
and store it in a digestive organ called a gizzard, where it is used to grind up food; therefore, it is important to
sprinkle a gritty substance such as crushed oyster shells, sand, or soil throughout the bedding material.
The final step in setting up a worm bin is adding the worms. Most experts suggest using red wigglers (Lumbricus
rubellus) or brandling worms (Eisenia foetida), which can be purchased from worm farms or garden supply cata­
logs. After giving the worms a chance to adjust for a few days, food scraps can be added.
children harvest the organically
grown produce and prepare dishes
for a community feast. Adults bring
venison, buffalo, and other treats.
At Ojibwe School, worm wrigglers
bring messages about composting
home to their parents. In addition,
students at the school sell their
worm castings and “tea”—the nutrient-rich liquid generated during the
composting process—to community
members at Earth Day fairs and
other events. The children package
the castings in take-out containers
affixed with labels that explain how
to use the compost. They assume
ownership of the program and gain
experience running a “business”
while educating the community
about the benefits of composting.
Mr. Reinbold and Ms. Manthe
credit vermicomposting with
reducing waste management costs,
increasing childrens’ self-esteem,
and encouraging interaction
between the generations. With such
an impressive track record, worms
could become permanent fixtures in
classrooms across the country.
Feature: composting
Selecting and Setting Up a Worm Bin
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
20
Salt River Landfill’s Green
Waste Composting Beats
the Heat
D
on’t think you can compost in arid climates?
Think again. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community composts nearly 3,000 tons
of yard trimmings and commercial landscaping waste
each month!
Located just east of Phoenix, Arizona, the Salt River Reservation is home to
approximately 6,000 enrolled members of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community. With an average annual precipitation of less than 10 inches per
year and an average high temperature of above 100°F during the summer, the
Salt River Reservation might seem to be a less than ideal location for a large
scale composting operation. Yet despite the hot, dry Arizona climate, the Salt
River Landfill still manages to produce a high-quality product that makes its
way onto the shelves of local nurseries, hardware stores, and home improvement centers.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa
Indian Community’s green waste
composting program is located at its
permitted Subtitle D landfill.
Owned and operated by the com­
munity, the Salt River Landfill is
run as an autonomous enterprise.
The community built the landfill for
two purposes—to manage the reservation’s municipal solid waste and
to generate revenue. In fact, the
majority of the waste received at the
landfill comes from neighboring
Mesa, Gilbert, and Scottsdale. As
part of its contract with these com­
munities, the landfill also accepts
green waste, which consists of yard
trimmings and landscaping wastes
(e.g., grass clippings, tree trimmings,
shrub trimmings) from both resi­
dences and commercial businesses,
including landscaping companies.
The Salt River Landfill operators
began the green waste program in
1996 in an effort to reduce the vol­
ume of materials landfilled. As green
waste takes up a significant amount
of landfill air space, separating and
managing it separately extends the
operational life of the landfill by sev­
eral years. Both the community and
landfill operators felt that composting
the green waste made sense economi­
cally, operationally, and environmen­
tally. “It was just the right thing to
do,” explained Frank Velazquez, assis­
tant general manager of the landfill.
landfill operators decided to switch
from using simple piles to composting
in windrows. While this decision
resulted in a more uniform final prod­
uct, it also required additional equip­
ment and increased operational costs.
Initially, a front-end loader broke
apart incoming loads of green waste
which were then hand-sorted by a
four- man crew to remove contami­
nants. The sorted green waste was
then ground in a tub grinder and
placed in open-air piles to compost.
Landfill staff monitored the temper­
ature of the piles using hand probes
and turned them regularly with the
landfill’s front-end loader to ensure
proper aeration. The finished prod­
uct was then shipped to a local
mulch manufacturer that mixed in
amendments, and bagged and sold
the final product.
As might be expected, the greatest
challenge facing Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community’s
green waste program was the area’s
climate. The hot, arid climate
quickly dries the chipped material,
short-circuiting the composting
process and making compost piles
and windrows a potential fire haz­
ard. To address both these issues,
the landfill staff installed a fire
hydrant system at the dedicated 5­
acre composting area. The hydrant
system allows workers to spray the
compost piles as needed to maintain
the proper moisture levels to sustain
the decomposition process. The sys­
tem also doubles as a fire suppres­
sion system in case of a fire.
Not completely satisfied with the
quality of its finished products, the
Challenges: Climate and
Contamination
21
To minimize contamination, the pro­
gram managers work with the com­
munities of Mesa, Gilbert, and
Scottsdale to educate their residents
about the types of waste acceptable
for composting. Mr. Velazquez noted,
“Mesa has an excellent program; it
purchased special 90-gallon contain­
ers for its residents specifically for
green waste. That has helped cut
down on some of the contamination.”
Changing Hands
After six years of successful com­
posting, the landfill managers
assessed the entire landfill and com­
posting operation and decided that
they were diverting a disproportion­
ate amount of time and resources to
the green waste program. At the
same time, the green waste program
was reducing the volume of waste
disposed in the landfill and generat­
ing an environmentally beneficial
and useful product. Not wanting to
end the program the landfill man­
agers and tribe concluded that it
made more sense economically and
operationally to let the experts han­
dle the composting operation.
To this end, the community hired a
recycling company from Houston,
Texas, to assume control and daily
operation of the green waste pro­
gram. “They are a very professional
group,” said Mr. Velazquez. “They
brought in their own equipment and
personnel and completely took over
operation of the green waste com­
posting program. They streamlined
operations and now produce a very
high quality compost material.”
Currently, the green waste program
is a break-even endeavor. The mini­
mal tipping fee for incoming green
waste charged by the landfill offsets
the expense of paying the contrac­
tors to run the green waste program.
Though not generating revenue, the
program’s real value is in saving
space at the landfill—which trans­
lates into longer landfill life and
continued revenue—and meeting
the community’s goal of trying to
recycle as much as possible.
Compost’s Future in the
Arid West
“It seems that everyone in the
Midwest and East have great green
waste programs, and
that mulch and compost
are used heavily in
these areas,” observes
Mr. Velazquez. “In com­
parison, mulch and
compost are not used as
much in the West.” He
attributes this to the
arid climate, the rela­
tively few number of
trees, and the abun­
dance of rock and gravel in the area, which
The drop-off location and windrows at the Salt
makes
rock mulch the
River Landfill
t i p s
F O R
COMPOSTING IN
a r i d
c l i m a t e s
• Educate yourself on all aspects
of the composting process
• Consult with local composting
experts
• Ensure access to water to
maintain proper moisture lev­
els in piles and prevent fires
• Work with your community to
prevent contamination of
source materials
• Consider all the benefits of a
green waste program, not just
profitability
more common choice for landscap­
ing. Although using compost as a
ground cover has not caught yet in
the region, Mr. Velazquez, his sub­
contractor, and a few others in the
field have high hopes for the
increased use of this product in the
West in the near future. They
believe that as the cost of landfill
space continues to increase, separat­
ing and composting, mulching, or
grinding organic materials will
become more common. “My overall
message is that there is hope,”
opines Mr. Velazquez.
For other tribes considering green
waste composting programs in any
region—arid, humid, or even arctic—Mr. Velazquez offers this advice,
“Educate yourself. Learn and under­
stand the decomposition process by
taking courses, such as SWANA’s
composting course; reading compost­
ing periodicals; and consulting with
experts, especially local professionals
with experience composting plants
common to your region under local
climatic conditions.”
Feature: composting
Another major problem was the con­
tamination of incoming green waste
with inappropriate materials such as
painted or chemically treated wood.
“If the community is not making a
whole-hearted effort, one single bag of
nongreen material can ruin entire
batches of product,” laments Mr.
Velazquez. “Even nontoxic contami­
nants, such as plastics, glass, and other
trash, can degrade the quality of the
compost, creating an unaesthetic,
even dangerous, final product.”
Tribal Waste Journal
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
22
Composting Garbage
and Sludge—An Alaskan
Solution
C
limate, geography, and geology often com­
bine to create seemingly insurmountable
challenges for waste management in Alaska.
The village of Haines, located in southeast Alaska, like
many communities, faced a limited number of waste
management options—all prohibitively expensive.
Fortunately, Haines Sanitation, Inc. (HSI) devised a
creative and innovative approach to solve the village’s
solid waste management problems: in-vessel munici­
pal waste composting.
HSI, under the leadership of company president,
Lynda Walker, and vice president, Tom Hall, is composting the village of Haines’ municipal solid waste and
sewage sludge through a large-scale, aerated in-vessel operation. This municipal waste composting treats
unseparated garbage and sewage sludge from the village’s wastewater treatment plant to create an inert mate­
rial suitable for use as landfill cover.
Ms. Walker and Mr. Hall strongly
believe in this process and hope to
work with other villages in the near
future to develop a customized sys­
tem to meet their needs. “Spreading
mixed compost or using it as a cover
material for an existing open dump
is a much better option than throw­
ing untreated garbage and honey
bucket waste on the tundra or into
surface water. The health and envi­
ronmental benefits will justify the
costs to the villages.” Ed Emswiler
from Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation
(ADEC) agrees, “It is a much bet­
ter option than open dumping and
much of the burning currently tak­
ing place in Alaska. HSI has
demonstrated the technology
works—now we just need to get out
there and test it.”
HSI turned to municipal waste com­
posting as an affordable method for
managing the village’s waste after
exploring several other options.
HSI’s first option was to bring its
“Municipal solid waste com­
posting is an option that
needs to get on the table in
Alaska. Its major advantages
are its ability to stabilize
garbage, control disease
and vectors, and manage
and decontaminate sewage
sludge.”
—Ed Emswiler, Alaska Department
of Environmental Conservation
landfill into full compliance with
the Subtitle D landfill requirements.
This approach was immediately
rejected as being too expensive. HSI
then tried shipping waste to Seattle
for disposal. After paying more than
$200,000 in one year and charging
community members more than $40
per month for a one can per week
garbage pickup, this was also aban­
doned as too costly.
It was at this point that HSI decid­
ed to pursue composting. Over the
next two years, HSI spent approxi­
mately $500,000 designing, purchas­
ing components, building, and
perfecting its municipal waste com­
posting system. The entire system,
with the exception of the computer
monitoring and control system, was
built using off-the-shelf components
and electronics. A significant por­
tion of this sum was spent perfecting
designs and addressing engineering
and operational problems as the sys­
tem was built. With this experience,
Mr. Hall believes he could now
23
Tribal Waste Journal
also points out that the process
could potentially use fish waste or
honey bucket waste (i.e., raw
sewage) in addition to, or in place
of, biosolids. “We just need to try it
and work out the engineering,”
explains Mr. Hall.
Advantages of Composting
While cost savings is the major
motivator in HSI’s composting, vol­
ume reduction, waste stabilization,
and the generation of a usable prod­
uct are other major benefits of
municipal solid waste and sewage
sludge composting. By reducing the
volume of the 1,100 tons of waste it
treats each year by about one-third,
HSI’s process will nearly double the
life of the current Class III landfill
(permitted for inert wastes only),
according to Mr. Hall.
The composting process also effec­
tively neutralizes organic materials
in waste and sludge that attract
birds, rats, foxes, dogs, bears, insects,
HSI’s finished compost also can be
used as landfill cover material.
Adequate volumes of suitable cover
material are extremely hard to find
and expensive to procure in many
parts of Alaska, particularly in
remote tundra settings. HSI believes
that the large amounts of decontam­
inated, inert compost that its
process generates presents a low-risk
alternative to expensive imported
cover materials. At this time, HSI is
awaiting ADEC approval to use the
final compost as cover material at
its Class III landfill. Mr. Hall is con­
fident they will receive approval. “It
makes an excellent cover material
as it compacts well and can support
plant growth,” he explains.
The Process
HSI’s mixed waste composting com­
bines most of the municipal solid
waste generated by the Haines com­
munity and sewage sludge from the
community’s wastewater treatment
plant. Some materials such as con­
struction and demolition (C&D)
debris and other large items are sep­
arated and taken directly to the
landfill. The materials collected
through the community voluntary
recycling program are, likewise,
managed separately and not com­
posted.
The first step in the process is
shredding the garbage and mixing it
with the biosolids from the waste­
water treatment plant. The shred­
ding and mixing takes place in a
mixing trommel, a 12-foot diameter
by 30-foot long, knife-lined rotating
drum. After spending two hours in
the mixing trommel, the waste/
sludge mixture is ready to be placed
in the digester.
Using the proper carbon-to-nitrogen
ratio (i.e., waste to biosolids) is
EPA 503 Requirements
The Subpart D (pathogen and vector attraction reduction) requirements
of 40 CFR Part 503 regulations were developed for the land application
or disposal of biosolids (sewage sludge). For biosolids to be applied to
lawns and gardens as a soil amendment, they must meet the Class A
Pathogen and Vector Attraction Reduction Guidelines. These guidelines
require that temperatures be sustained during the biosolid composting
process at 55° Celsius (131° Fahrenheit) or greater for at least three days
if in-vessel or static aerated piles are used, or 55° Celsius or greater for
at least 14 days if aerated windrows are used. There are no federal
composting requirements, but many composters use the 503 regulations
as guidelines for their composting operations.
Feature: composting
and other dis­
ease vectors.
The process
destroys organ­
ic compounds
that can leach
from untreated
waste and con­
taminate
drinking water
supplies or
valuable fish­
ing waters.
“Our compost
HSI’s final compost product curing in windrows. Not even
will not leach
mid-winter freezing temperatures slow the process down.
or attract ani­
reduce the cost of developing a new
mals. We have not had any prob­
system for a village to between
lems with bears, and the ravens are
$300,000 and $350,000, including
really not happy with us,” reports
all freight costs.
Mr. Hall. The decomposition
process also decontaminates sewage
While this price is still high, HSI
believes the potential improvements sludge, making it safe for disposal—
an important health consideration
to village health and the environ­
for many Alaskan villages.
ment justify the expense. Mr. Hall
Feature: composting
Tribal Waste Journal
24
A Million Dollar Alaskan
Opportunity—Denali Commission
Solid Waste Programs
In 2004, the Denali Commission received a $1 million appropriation from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office (USDA
RD) to address deficiencies in solid waste disposal sites which threaten to
contaminate rural drinking water supplies (under the FY 2004 Omnibus
Appropriation Bill (H.R. 2673 Sec. 764)). This funding provides the Denali
Commission and its partner organizations an opportunity to identify innovative solutions to technical and logistical challenges of traditional handling of municipal solid waste (MSW). The appropriation authorizes the
Denali Commission to fund pilot projects incorporating emerging technologies to improve local management options. To date, Denali
Commission has allocated $842,870 of the $1 million FY04 funds to 13
separate projects, including several composting projects.
For FY05, USDA RD appropriated another $1.5 million for the Denali
Commission Solid Waste Program to distribute. While the initial FY04 was
considered a single-year funding opportunity, the 2005 funding signals
the possibility of continuing investment by USDA RD.
To learn more about the Denali Commission’s Solid Waste Program and
funding opportunities please contact: Cindy Roberts at 907 271-3018 or
email to croberts@denali.gov. A list of the current award recipients and
application information is available on the Web at <www.denali.gov/
Program_Documents.cfm?Section=Solid%20Waste>
crucial to achieving maximum
compost efficiency and ensuring the
process is self-sustaining within the
digester. HSI uses an aerobic composting process, so proper water and
air concentrations also are critical.
When all of these ingredients are
in the proper proportions, the composting/digestion process
generates temperatures sufficient to
sustain decomposition and meet EPA
503 Pathogen Reduction and Vector
Attraction Requirements. During the
first two years, HSI experimented
with different waste, sludge, air, and
water ratios. Mr. Hall believes they
have finally found the proper proportions and can consistently produce
compost of the desired quality.
HSI staff monitor and control air
and moisture levels within the
digester with a computer control
system. To maintain desired moisture levels, water is periodically
added, mostly derived from previous
batches of compost. Because it is a
closed-loop system, no water is discharged from the system to pollute
the environment.
To keep temperatures within the
digester from getting too high (i.e., high enough to kill the benefi­
cial microorganisms responsible for
the decomposition process), the
computer regulates the flow of air
into and out of the vessel. If tem­
peratures become too high, more air
is pushed through the vessel in
order to cool the compost.
Conversely, air supply is reduced
when temperatures are too low.
The computer system also records
in-vessel temperatures over time to
demonstrate that each batch meets
the EPA 503 temperature require­
ments. Odors from the decomposi­
tion of the waste are controlled by
passing air exhaust through a wood
chip and sawdust biofilter.
After the 14-day digestion period,
the compost is removed from the
vessel and passed through a rotating
two-inch screen. This screening sep­
arates the larger particles (mostly
glass, plastic, and cans) from the
compost. The large-sized waste is
taken to the landfill and buried as
inert municipal waste. The screened
compost is then placed in curing
bins for 14 days. After curing, the
final product is ready for use. In
2003, HSI produced approximately
400 tons of usable compost and
landfilled 300 to 400 tons of
screened, inert material.
Due to its unsegregated nature, the
compost contains small shards of
glass, plastic, metal, and other items
that can pose a safety hazard.
Occasionally, needles end up in the
compost when community members
throw them in the trash instead of
taking them to the community
health facility for proper disposal.
Because the compost frequently
contains these dangerous items, HSI
workers wear protective safety gear
(e.g., gloves, boots, and aprons)
when handling it.
25
Tribal Waste Journal
Publications
Appelhof, Mary. Worms Eat My
Garbage: How to Setup and Maintain
a Vermicomposting System.
Kalamazoo, Michigan: Flower Press,
1982. <www.wormwoman.com>
U.S. EPA. Biosolids Technology Fact
Sheet: In-Vessel Composting of
Biosolids (EPA832-F-00-061)
<www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/invessel.pdf>
U.S. EPA. Biosolids Technology Fact
Sheet: Use of Composting for
Biosolids Management (EPA832-F-02024) <www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/
combioman.pdf>
U.S. EPA. Composting Yard
Trimmings and Municipal Solid
Waste (EPA530-R-94-003)
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/
compost/cytmsw.pdf>
U.S. EPA. Fact Sheet: Cover up with
Compost (EPA530-F-02-002)
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/
muncpl/ghg/f02022.pdf>
U.S. EPA. GreenScapes Brochure (for
large land-use applications) (EPA530K-03-003) <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
non-hw/green/pubs/brochure.pdf>
U.S. EPA. GreenScaping Your Lawn
and Garden (brochure for homeown­
ers) (EPA530-K-03- 002)
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/
green/pubs/home-gs.pdf>
U.S. EPA. Waste Prevention,
Recycling, and Composting Options:
Lessons from 30 Communities
(EPA530-C-01-002) <www.epa.gov/
epaoswer/osw/cdoswpub.htm>
Web Sites
Better Composting School, spon­
sored by the University of Maryland/
Maryland Cooperative Extension
<www.agnr.umd.edu/users/Bioreng/
recyclegreen.htm>
Cooperative State Research, Education,
and Extension Service (CSREES),
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
<www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/
index.html>
Cornell University/Cornell Waste
Management Institute Composting
Web site <cwmi.css.cornell.edu/
Composting.html>
greenroofs.com
<www.greenroofs.com>
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
<www.greenroofs.org>
Green Roof Plants
<www.greenroofplants.com>
U.S. Composting Council
<www.compostingcouncil.org/index.cfm>
U.S. EPA Composting Web site
<www.epa.gov/compost>
U.S. EPA GreenScapes Web site
<www.epa.gov/greenscapes>
U.S. EPA Jobs Through Recycling:
Organics Web page
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/
recycle/jtr/comm/organics.htm>
U.S. EPA Waste Management in
Indian Country
<www.epa/gov/tribalmsw>
Solid Waste Alaskan Network
(S.W.A.N.)—Composting
<www.ccthita-swan.org/Tutorials/
composting_final.cfm#9>
Solid Waste Association of North
America composting certification.
<www.swana.org>
Washington Organic Recycling
Council (WORC) composting training
<www.compostwashington.org>
Funding
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Value-Added Producer Grants
<www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/
vadg.htm>
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Environmental Management
Program grants—contact your BIA
regional environmental scientist
Denali Commission Solid Waste
Program <www.denali.gov/
Program_Documents.cfm?Section
=Solid%20Waste>
Related Resources
Annual Native American Permaculture
Design Course Permaculture—permanent (Agri) culture—is the harmonious
integration of landscape and people,
providing food, energy, shelter, and
other needs in a sustainable way for
all species. It is a holistic approach
based on traditional practices. For more
information contact:
Traditional Native American
Farmers Association
Phone: (505) 983-2172 or (505) 412-0336
E-mail: tnafanm@yahoo.com or teszu@aol.com The National Gardening Association,
a nonprofit organization established to
help gardeners, has a series of articles
on the many uses of native plants.
Native Plants as Food
<www.nationalgardening.com/
special/tmi/article3.asp>
Native Plants as Medicine
<www.nationalgardening.com/
special/tmi/article4.asp>
Native Plants for Fiber, Dyes,
and Other Uses
<www.nationalgardening.com/
special/tmi/article5.asp>
Periodicals
BioCycle Journal of Composting
& Recycling. JG Press Inc.
<www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htm>
Composting News. <www.recycle.cc>
Worm Digest. <www.wormdigest.org>
resources
r e s o u r c e s
s
contacts
Tribal Waste Journal
26
C O N T A C T S
S
T
he Tribal Waste Journal would like to thank everyone who shared their stories and experiences for this
issue. Interviewee contact information is provided below for those who are interested in learning more
about specific tribes’ programs.
Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet
Indian Reservation of Montana
Browning, Montana
Haines Sanitation, Inc.
Haines, Alaska
Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin
Oneida, Wisconsin
Gerald Wagner
406 338-7421
gwagner@blackfeetnation.com
Lynda Walker
Tom Hall
907 766-2736
HSIWalker@aptalaska.net
Diane Jourdan
920 497-5812 ext. 164
djourdan@oneidanation.org
Mary Ellen Flamand
406 338-7421
Ho-Chunk Nation
Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Cherokee, North Carolina
Jim Dunning
715 284-7548
jdunning@ho-chunk.com
Richie Bottchenbaugh
828 508-2633
T. Trejo
828 497-1833
John D. Long
828 497-1825
johnlong@nc-cherokee.com
Fond du Lac Reservation
Cloquet, Minnesota
Nathan Reinbold
218 878-8023
nathanreinbold@fdlrez.com
Lisa DiAngelo
888 685-4422
LDAngelo@ho-chunk.com
Kake Tribal Corporation
Kake, Alaska
Bob Mills
907-785-3221
bobmills@starband.net
www.totemsoil.com
Mashantucket Pequot Tribe
Mashantucket, Connecticut
Jason R. Mancini
860 396-6802
jmancini@mptn-nsn.gov
Laura Manthe
lmanthe@oneidanation.org
Redwood Valley Rancheria
Redwood Valley, California
Chuck Williams
707 485-0361
gytribalepa@pacific.net (c/o Gregg
Young)
Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian
Community in Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Frank Velazquez
480 941-3427, ext. 20
fvelazquez@srlandfill.com
Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation
Ed Emswiler
907 465-5353
Ed_Emswiler@dec.state.ak.us
To be placed on our mailing list or submit ideas or success stories, send an e-mail to
Janice Johnson, creative director of the Tribal Waste Journal, at <johnson.janice@epa.gov>.
i
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Of the EPA Tribal Waste Journal
Calendar Contests
Want a way to deliver your
waste management or environ­
mental message 12 months of
the year? Create a calendar and
fill it with recycling, compost­
ing, and other waste reduction
tips. Consider sponsoring a
poster or photography contest
for students as artwork for the
calendar to get kids excited
and involved. The Red Lake
Band of Chippewa Indians held
a poster contest for middle
school students. More than 40
students submitted posters with
a pollution prevention and pro­
tecting the environment theme.
Red Lake Department of
Natural Resources staff select­
ed the 12 winning posters for
use in the calendar and distrib­
uted more than 500 calendars
to tribal members.
The White Earth Band of
Chippewa Biology Department
also produced a calendar to
increase environmental aware­
ness within the community.
The calendar featured photo­
graphs of scenic areas on the
reservation, such as a local
landing at sunset and native
wildlife, and contained envi­
ronmental quotations in
Ojibwa from famous chiefs.
The tribe packed the back
page of the calendar with
information on its solid
waste ordinance and ways for
members to report illegal
dumping incidents.
Compost Crops
After your kids have put in all the hard work and effort composting
yard trimmings or food scraps in their backyard and vermicompost­
ing bins, here is a great exercise to demonstrate the usefulness of
compost. Using two similar garden plots—one with a bucket of
compost mixed into the soil and one without—kids can compare
compost’s influence on the plants’ rate of growth. Over a 4 or 5
week period of watering, weeding, and measuring the plant growth
for each of the plots, kids can compare the size and appearance of
the plants in both plots. They can also dig up one plant from each
plot and compare the root structures of both plants, and dig
around in the soil and examine and compare differences between
the soil texture, moisture content, and presence of worms or other
insects. When the vegetables are ripe, harvest and have a feast!
For additional information about this activity, visit
<http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/kids/quest/pdf/37crops.pdf>,
or order a free copy of The Quest for Less: Activities and Resources
for Teaching K-6 (EPA530-R-00-008) from EPA’s National Service
Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at 1-800-490-9198.
june 2005
“Worms are
more powerful
than the African
Elephant and
more important
to the economy
than the cow.”
—Charles Darwin
Composting and Other Waste Reduction Web Sites for Kids
FirstGov For Kids <www.kids.gov> is the
U.S. government interagency Kids’ Portal
developed and maintained by the Federal
Citizen Information Center. It provides
links, grouped by subject, to federal kids’
sites along with some of the best kids’
sites from other organizations. Included
are links to numerous composting, vermi­
composting, and recycling sites.
healthfinder®, <www.healthfinder.gov>
developed by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, is an excel­
lent resource for finding government and
nonprofit health and human services infor­
mation on the Internet. Among the links to
more than 1,500 health-related organiza­
tions’ Web sites, are links to numerous
environmental health sites, including sever­
al composting and recycling sites.
Composting
EPA’s Planet Protectors Club for Kids
<www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/
kids/index.htm>
Kids Recycle! Composting
<www.kidsrecycle.org/composting.php>
Recycling: Make a Compost Heap for
Your Garden (World Wildlife Fund)
<www.panda.org/news_facts/
education/middle_school/
homework_help/projectidea.cfm?pjid=1>
Reduce Waste—If Not you, Who?
(Minnesota Office of Environmental
Assistance) <www.reduce.org>
Vermicomposting
Ask the Answer Worm!
<www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/
education/squirm/skworm.html>
As the Worm Turns: Worm Composting
at Portland Public Schools
<www.pps.k12.or.us/district/depts/
fam/enviro/wormturns.shtml>
Kids Recycle! Vermi-composting
<www.kidsrecycle.org/worms.php>
Handmade Recycled Paper Planters
Here is an activity that lets kids close
the loop on used paper by creating
recycled paper planters out of used
newspaper. Begin by soaking small
pieces of shredded newspaper and
pulping the paper fibers with a hand
egg beater until it looks like mush.
Then mold the pulp to the inside of a
plastic cup-shaped container or soda
bottle with the top cut off, squeezing
out as much water as possible. Let the
pulp dry completely for the next
three days. Carefully remove the
handmade recycled paper planter
from its mold, and it is ready for use!
The planter can be transplanted in
the ground where it will decompose
and provide nutrients to the plant as
it takes root and grows. You can fur­
ther close the loop by using compost
from classroom vermicomposting or
backyard bins and planting the
seedlings in school or home gardens.
For additional information about this
activity, visit <http://www.epa.gov/
epaoswer/osw/kids/quest/pdf/
29plant.pdf>, or order a free copy of
The Quest for Less: Activities and
Resources for Teaching K-6
(EPA530-R-00-008) from EPA’s
National Service Center for
Environmental Publications
(NSCEP) at 1-800-490-9198.
National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences (NIEHS) Kids’ Pages:
Vermicomposting (Making Good
Use of Garbage!)
<www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/worms.htm>
The Adventures of Herman:
The Autobiography of Squirmin’ Herman
the Worm <www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/
worms/index.html>
Worm Away Your Cafeteria Food Scraps
(North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Service ) <www.bae.ncsu.edu/
people/faculty/sherman/worms.html>
Gardening
Junior Master Gardener
<www.k2demo.com/jmg/
index.k2?did=2016&sectionID=2016>
University of Illinois Extension: My First
Garden: A Guide to the World of Clever
and Fun Gardening
<www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/
index.html>
Compose Your Own
Composting Song
Have your kids write lyrics about
composting, recycling, or any
other environmental issue. They
can rewrite the lyrics to one of
their favorite songs or compose
their own music and lyrics. The
Compost Song is a great example:
The Compost Song: “Take
Me Out to the Compost”
(Sung to the tune of “Take Me Out
to the Ball Game”)
Take me out to the compost
Take me out to the pile.
Add some soil and a few good
worms
I don’t care if I’m turned and I’m
churned
‘Cause it’s root root root for the
microbes;
If they don’t live it’s a shame.
For in two, four, six weeks, I’m out
in the old garden.
—Pam Ahearn, Waits River School,
East Corinth, Vermont